The pup's not mean in the same way that Prince Rainbow and King Darzin are mean. That is, Rowsby works against the rabbits for a clear goal: to protect his master's stuff. He's an okay guy who just happens to be on the wrong side of things. Maybe that's why the story ends with both El-ahrairah and Rowsby Woof satisfied: the rabbit got the lettuce and the dog got to feel useful to his master.
Even we have to look up the names of these rabbits because they are not really that interesting as characters: Clover and Haystack female , Boxwood and Laurel male. Of the four, only three make it out in the jailbreak that Hazel organizes and gets shot for because the humans boo recapture Laurel. Besides providing a reason for Hazel to raid Nuthanger Farm, these rabbits don't play a huge role in the story.
Clover does have the first litter in Watership Down, which is exciting news. But again, that mostly gives Hazel and the other rabbits something to fight for when Woundwort brings his army. Clover "seemed more robust and less timid than Boxwood and Haystack and was evidently doing her best to adapt herself to warren life" But that doesn't mean there's a lot for her to do even if she's the most exciting of the domesticated rabbits.
And that's about the only characterization that Clover gets—that she's more like a wild rabbit than the other two domesticated rabbits. Still, these domesticated rabbits aren't good for nothing. In fact, they're plenty good for exploring the issues of freedom and nature see " Themes ".
Much like the Efrafan rabbits, these domesticated rabbits have been kept from the natural rhythms of life. Everything on the outside is new to them. As Hazel realizes about the hutch rabbits, "They did not know how to make up their minds. To him and his companions, sensing and acting was second nature; but these rabbits had never had to act to save their lives or even to find a meal" Like the rabbits in Cowslip's warren and like the Efrafans, these domesticated animals tend towards passivity.
May Frith blast you and your foul Owsla full of bullies! At that instant a dazzling claw of lightning streaked down the length of the sky.
The hedge and the distant trees seemed to leap forward in the brilliance of the flash. Immediately upon it came the thunder: a high, tearing noise, as though some huge thing were being ripped to pieces close above, which deepened and turned to enormous blows of dissolution.
Then the rain fell like a waterfall. In a few seconds the ground was covered with water and over it, to a height of inches, rose a haze formed of a myriad minute splashes.
Stupefied with the shock, unable even to move, the sodden rabbits crouched inert, almost pinned to the earth by the rain. Use it. Watership Down. Plot Summary. Democracy Home and Belonging. For Frith has given the fox and the weasel cunning hearts and sharp teeth, and to the cat he has given silent feet and eyes that can see in the dark, and they are gone away from Frith's place to kill and devour all that belongs to El-ahrairah. At that moment El-ahrairah heard the voice of Frith calling, 'Where is El-ahrairah?
For all the others have taken their gifts and gone, I have come to look for him. Then El-ahrairah knew Frith was too clever for him and was frightened. He thought that the fox and the weasel were coming with Frith so he turned to the face of the hill and began to dig. He was digging a hole, but he had dug only a little of it when Frith came over the hill alone.
And he saw El-ahrairah's bottom sticking out of the hole and the sand flying out in showers as the digging went on. When he saw that, he called out, 'My friend, have you seen El-ahrairah, for I am looking to give him my gift? He is far away, He could not come. The fox and the weasel are coming. If you want to bless me, you'll have to bless my bottom, for it is sticking out of the hole. Then Frith felt himself in friendship with El-ahrairah, because of his resourcefulness, and because he would not give up even when he thought the fox and the weasel were coming.
And he said, "Very well, I will bless your bottom as it sticks out of the hole. Bottom, be strength and warning and speed forever and save the life of your master. Be it so! And as he spoke, El-ahrairah's tail grew shining white and flashed like a star; and his back legs grew long and powerful and he thumped the hillside until the very beetles fell off the grass stems.
He came out of the hole and tore across the hill faster than any creature in the world. You must realize, my lord how important they are and not hinder them in their beautiful lives. So he determined to get the better of him, not by means of his own great power but by means of a trick. He gave out that he would hold a great meeting and that at that meeting he would give a present to every animal and bird, to make each one different from the rest. So all the creatures set out to go to the meeting place.
But they all arrived at different times, because Frith made sure that it would happen that way. When the blackbird came, he gave him his beautiful song, and when the cow came, he gave her sharp horns and the strength to be afraid of no other creature. When the fox, the stoat and the weasel's turn came Frith gave the cunning, the fierceness, the desire to hunt, slay and eat the children of El-ahrairah. So they went away from Frith full of nothing but hunger to kill the rabbits.
Now all this time El-ahrairah was dancing and mating and boasting that he was going to Frith's meeting to receive a great gift. And at last he set out for the meeting place. But as he was going there, he stopped to rest on a soft, sandy hillside. And while he was resting, over the hill came flying the dark swift, screaming as he went 'News! So El-ahrairah called up to him and said, 'What news? For Frith has given the fox and the weasel cunning hearts and sharp teeth, and to the cat he has given silent feet and eyes that can see in the dark, and they are gone away from Frith's place to kill and devour all that belongs to El-ahrairah.
At that moment El-ahrairah heard the voice of Frith calling, 'Where is El-ahrairah?
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